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Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is transmitted by the Bemisia tabaci pest Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) in China. Isaria fumosorosea is a fungal pathogen of B. tabaci. However, the effects of fungal infection on TYLCV expression and transmission by MEAM1 are unclear. In this study, potted tomatoes containing second instar nymphs of MEAM1 were treated with I. fumosorosea IfB01 strain and the relationship between fungal infection in MEAM1 and its TYLCV transmission capacity was investigated. The results indicated that a significantly (p < 0.05) decreased incidence of transmission of TYLCV-infected plants (ITYPs) transmitted by second instar nymphs of MEAM1 infected with fungus. Further, we found a negative correlation between fungal conidial concentrations and eclosion rates of MEAM1, and a positive correlation between ITYPs and eclosion. In addition, when each plant was exposed to three adults treated with fungus, a significantly decreased transmission of TYLCV (TYTE) was observed in the infected group. However, the incidence of TYLCV-carrying MEAM1 adults (ITYAs) was not significantly different in the infected and control groups (p < 0.05). Nevertheless, a significant decrease in viral accumulation using TYLCV AC2 gene as a marker was observed in the fungus-infected MEAM1. In conclusion, the results suggested that I. fumosorosea infection decreases TYLCV accumulation in MEAM1 and subsequently reduces its transmission. Our study provides new insights into the relationship between host plant, plant virus, insect vector, and entomopathogenic fungus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Gansu Corridor of China with distinct geographic and climatic conditions are remote and less disturbed by humans, in which are likely to find some new strains of fungal entomopathogens against B-biotype whiteflies that is a very important invading pest worldwide. In this research, nineteen strains among six species of entomogenous fungi were isolated from the soil samples collected from 32 locations in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Gansu Corridor. From the data of isolation rates, it was indicated that the good biodiversity of entomogenous fungi was found in the soil covered good vegetations. On the contrary, no strains were isolated from the desert areas. In addition, the dominant species, Isaria fumosorosea and Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are different from the strains of other places based on ITS genetic homology analysis. It was verified that the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau area was less disturbed by human, and the fungi in this place exchanged less compared with other regional species. All of these strains showed the pathogenicity against the B-biotype whitefly with the mortality of more than 30%. However, a few strains of Paecilomyces lilacinus, Lecanicillium psalliotae, Aspergillus ustus, I. fumosorosea and M. anisopliae var. anisopliae had better virulence with LC50s of 0.36–26.44×106 spores/mL on post-treatment day 6–7. Especially, the L. psalliotae strain LpTS01 was the greatest virulence with LC50 of 0.36×106spores/mL and LT50 of 4.23d. Our research thus presents some new insights to discover new entomopathogenic fungal strains used for B-biotype whitefly biocontrol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]